Lawrence J. Boudria

Lawrence J. Boudria, 69, of Wellington, Fla., formerly of Kinnelon, N.J., passed away on Nov. 9, 2013. Visitation will take place on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at Our Lady of the Magnificat Chapel, Kinnelon, N.J. A Funeral Mass will be held at 12 noon in the Chapel and entombment will follow at the church cemetery. A memorial service will be held in Wellington, Fla. at a date to be announced. Visit www.scanlanfuneral.com. Born in Hartford, Conn., Lawrence was the son of the late Alfred and Frances Boudria. He proudly enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and achieved the rank of first lieutenant. He served as the commander of the 3rd Marine Division's Kit Carson Scouts in Quang Tri, Vietnam, where he used his Vietnamese language skills to repatriate enemy soldiers who then served as scouts supporting the U.S. combat Marines. As a Marine platoon commander, he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor for exposing himself to enemy fire in order to save the lives of his men during the siege of Khe Sanh on Hill 881, one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War. Upon his return home, Lawrence earned his M.B.A. from Columbia University and followed the route of an entrepreneur, where he was a pioneer and innovator in the telecommunications resale industry, starting his own successful businesses, Garden State Long Distance Telephone Company and Universal Car Phone. Lawrence is survived by his loving wife, Nina; their daughter, Jacqueline; his sister, Judith Gottsegen, her husband, Michael; his brother-law, Randolph Aversano, his wife, Jane, and many beloved nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested in Lawrence's memory to the "Marine 1st Lt. Lawrence J. Boudria Scholarship Fund", c/o The College of Mount Saint Vincent, Attn: Office of Advancement, 6301 Riverdale Ave., Riverdale, N.Y. 10471. Scholarships will be awarded to veterans and/or the children of veterans in Lawrence's memory.